University encouraging students to use gender-neutral pronouns like ‘ze’ and …

Call me ‘ze,’ not ‘he': University wants everyone to use ‘gender inclusive’ pronouns.

Educators in the Volunteer State are very concerned that students might be offended by the usage of traditional pronouns like she, he, him and hers, according to a document from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. “With the new semester beginning and an influx of new students on campus, it is important to participate in making our campus welcoming and inclusive for all,” wrote Donna Braquet in a posting on the university’s website. “One way to do that is to use a student’s chosen name and their correct pronouns.” For all you folks who went to school back when there were only him and her – here’s a primer: some of the new gender neutral pronouns are ze, hir, zir, xe, xem and xyr. Braquet included a chart (shown above) to explain various gender-neutral pronouns, acknowledging “these may sound a little funny at first, but only because they are new.

The she and he pronouns would sound strange too if we had been taught ze when growing up.” “The more we make sharing of pronouns a universal practice, the more inclusive we will be as a campus,” Braquet states. “When our organizational culture shifts to where asking for chosen names and pronouns is the standard practice, it alleviates a heavy burden for persons already marginalized by their gender expression or identity.” But it was too over-the-top for Republican State Sen. Mae Beavers told me. “If you must interview a student before you greet the student, that’s not acceptance – that’s just absurd.” Beavers represents a “very conservative” district and she said her constituents are enraged over how their tax money is being spent by the university. “The idea a child would want to be called by a gender neutral term is absolutely ridiculous,” she said. “It’s getting so crazy in this country.” I reached out to the vice chancellor for tolerance and diversity (yes they really do have such a thing) – but I’m still waiting for him or her or ze or xyr to call me back. His latest book is “God Less America: Real Stories From the Front Lines of the Attack on Traditional Values.” Follow Todd on Twitter@ToddStarnes and find him on Facebook.